Some restaurants seem to have multiple lives. At 202 Rue Antoine Dansaert, a pizzeria became a fine-dining restaurant before undergoing yet another transformation. Recently , La Belle Équipe has revived the venue’s historic name, with a team in the kitchen that regulars on the Brussels food scene already know well.
A new lease on life for a venue with a rich history
The venue was formerly known as La Belle Équipe and served pizza. It later became Aster, a fine-dining restaurant dedicated to seafood and wood-fired vegetables. Today, it’s back to its roots—at least in terms of the name. Leading the project are Jens Crabbe and Jocasta Allwood, the duo behind Nightshop, who have chosen to restore the restaurant’s former identity while creating a radically different culinary concept.
In the kitchen, Théo Léonard—who also worked at Nightshop—is at the helm. The concept: a personal style of cooking that’s precise yet unpretentious, built around high-quality ingredients, masterful cooking techniques, and generous sauces. So forget the pizzas of the past, as well as Aster’s single tasting menu: here, the dishes are designed to be passed around the table and shared.
Lobster, lamb, and natural wines
Among the first dishes spotted by Le Fooding are tostadas with bluefin tuna and smoked chili mayonnaise, a lobster salad with tomato water and red berries, and a saddle of lamb served two ways with harissa and candied peppers. Dishes to share range from 12 to 35 €, and you should plan on two or three plates per person.
Inside, the atmosphere remains intimate, with candles, marble, and stainless steel, while the wine list gives pride of place to natural wines, selected by Thomas Boogaerts, who previously worked at Couvert Couvert and Quartz. In short, a well-supported team, a venue with a rich history, and a new restaurant that has just made its mark on the Brussels scene.
📍Address: Rue Antoine Dansaert 202, 1000 Brussels
